Tech

World's First Commercially Available Self-Driving Car Launches

LAS VEGAS — Companies like Google have been toying with the concept of self-driving cars for years, but France-based robotics company Induct announced on Monday that its intelligent, electric and driverless vehicle is now available in the U.S.

The Navia shuttle — which can carry up to eight passengers — launched on Monday at the 2014 International CES show in Las Vegas, making it the world's first commercially available self-driving vehicle.

The car will most likely be used at public places such as airports, college campuses, theme parks or sports arenas to eliminate pollution and congestion, rather than for home use. Navia costs about $250,000, which is about 40% less than the cost for operating a similar shuttle with a driver.

"Navia is different than other driverless vehicles out there because it is intelligent, self sufficient and environmentally friendly," a company rep told Mashable. "Users can summon Navia from their smartphones like an Uber for driverless cars or call it up from their desktop."

After boarding the shuttle, passengers use a touchscreen to select where they want to go. The shuttle also doesn't need a special infrastructure such as rails or a designated path, so it can travel anywhere.

The vehicle, which doesn't go faster than 12.5 mph, uses onboard lasers and sensors to detect obstacles in its path, so it doesn't rely on GPS to get from one point to another. The vehicle also uses different camera viewpoints to allow depth mapping and 3D perception to make sure it steers clear of pedestrians and other roadside objects.

"Navia can operate in any environment, with the necessary authorizations from local city, state and national authorities," the spokesperson said. "We’ve already worked with several beta testers to enable the use of Navia at their locations with little issue."

It's currently deployed in beta version at a technical college in Switzerland (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and a high-security industry park run by the United Kingdom Atomic energy Authority.

For information about how to purchase the Navia shuttle, contact the company here.

CES 2014: Cars

Toyota FV2 Will Read Your Emotions

The FV2 is essentially a pod with a diamond-shaped wheel array and Toyota says that the technology of the vehicle allows it to gauge the driver's mood and suggest possible destinations.

Image: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Lamborghini Veneno Roadster

Monster has teamed up with Lamborghini to create a special Monster version of the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster with a complete audio system supplied by the company. The speaker system, which cost around $50,000 to install, is a drop in the ocean compared to $4.5m price tag for the car.

Image: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Tesla on Display

A Tesla electric car is on display at the Panasonic booth at the 2014 International CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Toyota I-Road

Along with it's fuel cell vehicles, Toyota showed off its diminutive i-Road, a single-person, three-wheeled, rear-wheel-steering electric “car”. Not much bigger than a scooter, the i-Road tops out at 28mph.

Image: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Navia Self-Driving Shuttle

France-based robotics company Induct announced on Monday that its intelligent, electric and driverless vehicle is now available in the U.S.. The Navia shuttle will likely be used at public places such as airports, college campuses, theme parks or sports arenas to eliminate pollution and congestion, rather than at home.

Image: Induct

Spark-Renault SRT_01E

Formula Es new fully-electric race car, the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, is displayed during the 2014 International CES on January 6, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Formula Es new fully-electric race car, capable of speeds in excess of 150mph, will compete in the new FIA Formula E Championship - the worlds first fully-electric racing series beginning in September.

Image: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight

The Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight concept car on display at the 2014 AUDI CES Keynote presentation. Aside from the futuristic headlamps, the car's calling card is the combination of electric and gas motors -- the latter of which takes it 90 miles per gallon -- for a whopping 700 horsepower.

Image: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Audi

Toyota Fuel Cell Concept Car

The four-door mid-size sedan has no emissions, with the exception of water vapor, and is essentially an electric car without the need to be plugged in. The combination of hydrogen and air creates both water and electricity, which is then used to power the car. The vehicle is expected to go on sale in 2015.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Toyota's Hydrogen Cell Fueled Car

Calling it the “car of the future,” Toyota said the vehicle will be a zero-emission, mid-size, four-door sedan with a driving range of at least 300 miles between refueling and a fill-up time of less than five minutes. No official price tag was announced, but it is estimated that the cost will range from $50,000 to $100,000.

Image: Joe KlamarAFP/Getty Images

Chevy Brings 4G LTE to Cars

Chevrolet announced it is bringing 4G LTE to its OnStar infotainment system. The 2015 Corvette Stingray has a performance data recorder which allows drivers to record hi-definition video and share with friends.

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